Jesus Has Faced Every Test You Have…and Passed!

In a previous post I mentioned how the main purpose of the book of Hebrews is to convince the reader that Jesus is better than anyone or anything else.  One of the comparisons that the writer is making is with the High Priest.  The High Priest was the highest spiritual office in the Jewish religious system…yet Jesus is so much better.  A High Priest, though respected and revered by many, was still a sinner.  He still failed from time to time…in fact, in Jesus’ day the high priestly office appeared to be held by men who were not very “good” at all.  But that’s not the issue with the comparison here in Hebrews.

Look at verses 14-16 of chapter 4:  Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Here, Jesus is better than the High priest because Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet He never sinned.  He felt the full weight of temptation, all that the devil could throw at Him, and yet did not sin.  None of us has ever felt the full weight of temptation like Jesus did.  So, when we feel like the burden is too much to bear, we can go to Him.  Or better as Hebrews puts it, “We can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  We know that Jesus can help us because He has already experienced it.  He knows what we need and He can help.